India, April 11 -- Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen looked at the moon's surface during the Artemis II mission and saw a bright spot. He wanted to name it after something meaningful: fellow astronaut Reid Wiseman's late wife, Carroll. Holding back tears, Hansen made the suggestion live from the Orion capsule. "It's a bright spot on the moon. And we would like to call it 'Carroll,'" he said.

It was a heartfelt moment. But naming a lunar crater is not as simple as pointing and asking. There is a governing body, strict rules and a waiting period.

Who Decides Crater Names?

The International Astronomical Union, based in Paris, is the only organization with the authority to name astronomical objects. Founded in 1919, the IAU ove...